Let The Dead Bury Their Dead...

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Let the Dead Bury Their Dead

As Quoted from: BIBLEGATEWAY.COM [KJV]

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

When the disciple approached Christ in verse 21, and asked for Christ to "suffer him to first bury his father". The disciple's father was not ill, near death or dead. It was an expression of the jewish people of that age that indicated what he was asking for was time to be with his father, until his fathers eventual death. So he could collect his inheritence and birthright. Then, he would be inclined to go forth and follow Christ. This could have taken many years to come to pass. So his interest in following Christ was half-hearted at best.

Christ's response of "Let the dead bury the dead" in verse 22, was pointing out that the disciple's commitment to Christ was lacking. He either could stay for his eventual inheritence, or he could follow Christ.

No more no less.

There are many examples in the bible of would be disciples that were turned aside by similar requirements of worldly sacrifice and timely commitment.

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